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The Ways of a Worker of 
a Century Ago 

As Shown by the Diary of Joseph Lye, 
Shoemaker 



The Ways of a Worker of 
a Century Ago 



As Shown by the Diary of Joseph Lye, 
Shoemaker 



Sy FRED A. GANNON 
SALEM, MASS. 



Printed by 

Newcomb & Gauss 

salem, mass. 



Copyrighted 

1918 

Fred A. Gannon 

Salem, Mass. 



©CI. A. "10 5319 






THE WAYS OF A WORKER OF A CEN- 
TURY AGO 

As Shown by the Diary of Joseph Lye, 
Shoemaker. 



For all the facts in this little book the 
writer is indebted to Henry F. Tapley, who 
gave the Lye, or Tapley, shoe shop to the 
Essex Institute, and who related the record 
of it, as well as extracts from the diary of 
Joseph Lye, to the Lynn Historical Society, 
October 14, 1915 

Mr. Tapley's story is published in the 
Register of the Lynn Historical Society, 
Number XIX, for the Year 1915. 

JOSEPH LYE HIMSELF. 
Joseph Lye was born in Lynn, Mass., in 
1792, being one of the nine sons of Joseph 
Lye, a shoemaker and soldier of the Revolu- 
tion, and Ann Hart. He kept a diary which 
shows that he 'Vas first clerk of the Second 



The Wavs of a Worker 



Congregational church (Unitarian), clerk of 
the Fire club, served as juryman, trained in 
the militia, watched with sick friends and 
neighbors. He was something of a traveler 
in his modest way, worked as a shoemaker, 
painter, fisherman and skipper, and sailed 
small boats. He cleaned the chimney, set out 
posts and fences, fixed the pump, caulked 
boats and helped kill the neighbor's pig. In- 
terested in religious matters, he led the ac- 
tive, useful life of a good citizen." 

Altogether, he was a busy man. He viewed 
life from many angles. His diary is doubt- 
less a good and accurate record of the acts 
and thoughts of the average man of his time. 
It furnishes material for contrast with men 
and their ways of these days. 

In Lye's time all work was done by hand. 
Machinery was scarcely known. Men often 
worked alone, for the factory system had not 
been started. As they toiled in solitude they 
read from a book or meditated in silence. 
They were given to deep thinking. 

He lived in extraordinary times. His 
father told him of the Revolution. Washing- 



of a Century Ago S 

ton, Hamilton and Jefferson were laying the 
foundations of the new nation. Pioneers 
were pushing their way west. Inventors 
were busy. Fulton sailed the Clermont down 
the Hudson. Inventors dreamed of the steam 
locomotive. American ships opened trade 
with the Far East and brought back "the 
wealth of the Indies." The nation had pros- 
pered so much that it had a surplus in the 
treasury. 

The shoe business flourished. John Adam 
Dagyr, ''the Celebrated Shoemaker of Essex," 
had taught his fellow workers of Lynn how 
to make shoes equal to the best imported 
from London and Paris. Newspapers of the 
tiine urged people to buy American shoes in- 
stead of imported footwear. Ebenezer Breed, 
an early captain of American industry, had 
induced Congress to put a protective tariflf 
on American shoes. 

Joseph Lye, the diarist, learned shoemak- 
ing of his father, the Revolutionary soldier, 
as did many a lad of his time. He worked 
on the farm, too, and became a handy man, 
able to undertake most any of the simple 



The Ways of a Worker 



tasks of his time. He was content to work 
industriously and to live thriftily. Ambition 
did not tempt him. He thought deeply upon 
matters of religion. The Puritan conscience 
then was alive. He kept a diary. Its records 
are a good standard by which to compare 
the acts and thoughts of an average man 
of a century ago with the acts and thoughts 
of an average man of today, should any 
reader desire to do so. 

JOSEPH LYE'S SHOP. 

Soon after his return from the war of the 
Revolution, Joseph Lye bought a parcel of 
land and buildings thereon near the Common 
in Lynn, paying 123 pounds, 6 shillings for 
the entire property. 

Among the buildings was a small, sturdy 
structure, scarcely as large as a kitchen. In 
it were four ''berths," or seats, on which 
shoemakers sat, their tools by their side and 
their stock on the floor, making shoes by 
hand. It was heated by a wood stove and 
lighted by candles, but aside from these it 
was as primitive as an old barn and had 



ot a Century Ago 



none of the hundred and one devices so essen- 
tial to the modern factory. It had no steam, 
no machinery, not even running water. But 
it sufficed for the times. In it the Lyes made 
a comfortable living, first Joseph Lye, shoe- 
maker and soldier of the Revolution, and 
then his son, Joseph, shoemaker and diarist. 
This shop passed from the Lye family by 
purchase to Amos Preston Tapley, a shoe 
merchant, related to the Lyes by marriage. 
From him it passed to his son, Henry F. 
Tapley, who gave it to the Essex Institute in 
Salem. Here it is preserved as an example 
of an early type of American shoe factory. 

JOSEPH LYE'S RELIGION. 

Lye began his diary by writing : 

"A Diary of my Daily occupations and a 
few remarks that do not relate to them, and 
a record of what deaths and marriages come 
to my knowledge." 
"Let not ambition mock my useful toil, 

My humble joys and destiny obscure, 
Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile 

The simple annals of the poor." 



The Wavs of a Worker 



Lye thought much upon spiritual matters. 
He wrote in his diary frequently of his at- 
tendance at church and of his views of relig- 
ious subjects. He worked leisurely and had 
time to reflect upon the meaning of life and 
its highest ideals. It may be his view of life 
has been lost among men of today, intent 
upon their affairs of the moment. The point 
is worth looking into, for the solution of 
many serious problems of business, labor and 
society is coming through Christianity and 
its interpretation by men. 

Lye wrote in his diary many records of 
his acts and views of Christianity, and some 
of his records are these: 

"Sunday, Nov. 23. This day attended the 
meeting at the meeting house in Lynn, heard 
Rev. Mr. Brown preach from Luke 23, 61-62 
verse. In the afternoon from Matthew 26, 
24-27 verse." 

Lye went to church twice Sunday. Many 
of today do not go to church once. 

''Sunday, Nov. 30. Rainy and warm. In 
the forenoon attended public worship, heard 
Mr. Brown, of Charlestown, preach a sermon 



of a Century A go 



from 2 Corinthians, 2 chapter, 15th verse 
and part of 16th. In the afternoon from 
Paul 39, 4th verse." 

Rain did not keep Lye from going to 
church twice. Rain keeps many a church- 
goer away from church these days. 

"Thursday, Dec. 25. Christmas. Rev. Ro- 
sea Ballou was installed pastor of the Second 
Universalist meeting in Boston." 

Christmas Day and no mention of Christ- 
mas joys. Puritans frowned on Christmas 
celebrations. Lye knew no Christmas cheer 
as do people of these days. 

"Sunday, Jan. 18th. Read one of Laurin's 
sermons in the forenoon. In the afternoon 
attended divine worship in Chelsea. Heard 
an excellent sermon by the Rev. Mr. Tucker- 
man." 

Lye could not go to church Sunday morn- 
ing, so he read a sermon. Men of today read 
the newspapers Sunday morning, or play 
golf, or motor. 

"Jan. 1, 1818. Fine day for the new year. 
Walked on foot to Chelsea, engaged a seat of 



The IVays of a IVorker of a Century Ago 9 

Capt. John Tewkesbury in Rev. Mr. Tucker- 
man's meeting house." 

Lye walked to Chelsea, a distance of eight 
miles, to church. Few of today will walk a 
mile to church. 

A time of woe to Lye was in February and 
March of 1818, when he recorded in his 
diary : 

''Sunday, Feb. 22. Attended public wor- 
ship at the old meeting house. Sermon by 
Rev. Mr. Morse, son of D. Morse, of Charles- 
town, from the passage, 'Be ye reconciled to 
God.' The sermon was the true essence of 
Calvinism, very uncharitable, cruel as the 
grave, profitable to no one." 

"Mar. 22. Staid at home this day, rather 
than to hear a Calvinistic preacher at the 
First church." 

Lye was evidently a man of strong con- 
victions. 

A time of joy to him was in the early part 
of the year 1822, when he helped to form a 
Congregational church at Lynn and worked 
on its meeting house. He records : 

"Tuesday, Nov. 5. Assisted in erecting 



10 The Ways of a Worker 

two stages for the accommodation of the 
committee, clergymen and singers for the 
dedication of the new meeting house. 

*ln the afternoon was laid the corner stone 
of the Second Congregational church (Uni- 
tarian) with appropriate ceremony. The 
treasurer, William Badger, having deposited 
under it a 25 cent piece, one half cent, a 
ten cent piece, an American coin and some 
newspapers of the day, and the copper plate 
with the inscription: 'There is one God, one 
mediator between God and man, the man Je- 
sus Christ. God is no respector of persons 
but in every nation he that feareth Him and 
worketh righteousness is acceptable.' The 
other side : 'Second Congregational society of 
Lynn, maintaining in their fullest extent the 
right of conscience and private judgment in 
Religion and the principles of Universal 
Charity was established, and this house de- 
voted to the worship of the only true God, 
the Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord, founded 
under their patronage in the year of the 



of a Century Ago 11 



Christian Era 1822. May God give thee 
increase.' " 

Deep interest in religion was common 
among shoemakers of the time of Lye. The 
Bible was kept in many a shop. The Sunday 
sermon was a chief topic of debate among 
the shoemakers. The minister himself often 
called at the shop. But these days there is 
no room in the shop for the Bible and the 
minister never calls. There may be business 
wisdom in the remark of a shoe man that 
each large manufacturing organization 
should have a minister on its staff. 

THE WAGES OF JOSEPH LYE. 
For his useful toil Joseph Lye was content 
with a modest wage. He was willing to turn 
has hand to most anything. He worked *'as 
a shoemaker, painter, fisherman and skipper 
of small boats. He cleaned the chimney, set 
out posts, built fences, fixed the pump, calked 
boats and helped kill the neighbor's pig." 
He also was a farmer. Evidently he had a 
good all around training which enabled him 
to adjust himself to the circumstances of 



IS The Ways oi a. Worker 

each day. He did not become a specialist in 
shoemaking and limit his work to one branch 
of the shoe trade, as do shoemakers of these 
days. He undertook most any work that 
came before him. Yet he was not a plodder, 
living from day to day, for he took upon 
himself responsible tasks and financial obli- 
gations. For example, in April, 1822, he 
agreed to pay his mother $150 a year for the 
use of the farm, comprising eight acres of 
tillage, two cows, a pasture and a wood lot, 
as well as buildings. 

He was taught his trade of shoemaking 
by his father, Joseph Lye, the cordwainer 
and soldier of the Revolution. In turn he 
taught his brother Robert to make shoes. He 
made mention of it in his diary. He was not 
apprenticed to a master workman for seven 
years, or until he was 21, as was the common 
practice of his time. His knack of painting, 
building fences, fishing, sailing boats, and 
farming was picked up in his boyhood life on 
his father's farm. A task came before him. 
His father showed him how to do it. He 



of a Century Ago is 

did it, and learned a lesson in the school of 
experience. 

He made frequent entries about his wages 
in his diary. For example: 

"Tuesday, Nov. 25. Made 3 pairs of shoes 
at 40 cents. Assisted in throwing up shop 
wood. Pleasant and cold." 

His earnings for that day were $1.20. Be- 
sides, he made fuel ready for the winter. 
The fuel was from the wood lot on the Lye 
farm. The labor of gathering it was its 
chief cost. He never dreamed of a time 
when a fuel administrator would limit sup- 
plies of fuel to people. 

"Wed., Nov. 26. Made two pairs of village 
walking boots at 45 cents ; two pairs military 
at 40 cents. Weather continues clear and 
pretty cold." 

His earnings for this day were $1.70. Bus- 
iness was brisk with him. , Clear cold weather 
must have started people buying winter foot- 
wear. 

"Friday, Nov. 28. Hauled the boat Ann 
into winter quarters, stripped her. Assisted 
Amos Tapley to get his boards in. Waited 



The Wavs of a Worker 



some time for shoes. Made one pair at 45 
cents. Weather warm and cloudy." 

His earnings this day from shoemaking 
were but 45 cents. Whether Amos Tapley 
paid hm^ ie¥ getting in boards, or whether 
he just helped in a neighborly way is a mat- 
ter he does not make clear in his diary. The 
ship Ann belonged to him. So he had no 
pay for his work on it. 

''Saturday, Nov. 29. Made 2 pairs of shoes 
at 45 cents. This week's work comes to 
$5.87 exclusive of other work." 

Five dollars and 87 cents for a week's work 
in shoemaking! Some shoemakers earn that 
in a day these times. It was a normal week's 
wage for Lye. The next Saturday he rec- 
ords: 'This week's work amount to $5.40." 
It was less than $1 a day. Small pay that 
seems. But $1 went a lot farther then than 
these days. Lye's costs of living were low. 
He farmed and fished and produced much of 
his own food stuffs, and gathered his own 
fuel. His "humble joys" were by no means 
expensive. He speaks of taking a book of 
sermons from the library, of going to camp 



of a Century figo 15 

meeting, and of walking to Boston to attend 
a theatre. Nothing very expensive in these. 

Lye speaks of earning $5.87 ''exckisive of 
other work." Evidently he had some source 
of income besides his pay for making shoes. 
Perhaps Amos Tapley paid him for helping to 
get in his boards. Later he "assisted Amos 
Tapley to repair wood shop." And Saturday, 
Jan. 3, he records that ''Hugh Floyd and his 
boy Isaac moved into our shop." Doubtless 
they paid rent and he had an income, as a 
landlord. 

His ventures in fishing paid him well. He 
records : 

"Friday, Sept. 2. Caught 750 fish about 
two miles southeast of Nahant." 

A great haul that was. Plenty of food. Yet 
not much money, for fish was cheap, selling 
at six cents a pound, or thereabouts. He 
followed up fishing during the summer sea- 
son. In addition to the profits from it he had 
a bounty of $35 for engaging in the codfish 
industry for four months. He records that 



The Ways of a Worker of a Century Ago 17 

to collect that bounty he 'Vent on foot to 
Marblehead.'' 

Plainly Lye was a diligent, thrifty worker, 
willing to work in the sweat of his brow and 
tb walk a long journey to collect his pay. 
But his ways are no more. Modern industry 
has changed the habits of men. 

THE MISCELLANEOUS TASKS OF JOSEPH LYE. 

The spring of the year 1819 was a very 
busy time with Lye, and a few entries in 
his diary reveal the versatility of his career. 

May 5, ''helped set fence in front of our 
premises in the forenoon. Performed mili- 
tary duty in the afternoon." 

May 9, "helped move Mudge's new shop. 
Went to Chelsea to purchase pigs, but found 
none to be bought." 

Saturday, May 23, he "trained again." 

June 30, "sailed from this town for North 
Yarmouth in the sloop Jane, Capt. Ross, for 
the purpose of recovering the boat Humbird, 
which Ellis and myself sold to David Libby 
last November." 

Sunday, July 12, "arrived in Lynn with 



18 The Ways of a Worker 

the boat, which we took possession of July 1 
without much difficulty, having had a quick 
voyage of ten days, Capt. Ross, S. Hutchin- 
ison and myself being all the crew to manage 
both vessels/' 

Monday, July 27, ''bought of James Austin 
one sixth part of the boat Humbird for 
$16.66/' (It was for using this boat in the 
cod fishing industry that Lye got the bounty 
of $35, by the way.) 

At some time or other during the year. Lye 
acquired the pigs for which he made his vain 
trip to Chelsea, and on Jan. 1 he "killed our 
two hogs. Their weight was 384 pounds." 

The variety of Lye's tasks certainly sur- 
passes those of the average shoemaker of 
these days. 

THE PASTIMES OF JOSEPH LYE. 

Joseph Lye lived a well rounded life. Be- 
sides shoemaking, fishing and farming, and 
other occupations that came to his hand, he 
trained with the militia, ran with the fire- 
men, took part in politics, and sat up with 
sick friends, and lent a hand when help was 



of a Century Ago 19 



needed. He took life seriously, not as stern- 
ly as did his Puritan forefathers, but never- 
theless, with a deep and earnest purpose. 
For example, in his diary he records: 

"Monday, Mar. 20. This day I am 27 
years old. I have, through God's goodness, 
been spared in life and health for another 
year, and may I improve the present year 
better than I have ever done before." 

At the close of the same year he records : 

"This day closes the year through which I 
have passed in good health and have enjoyed 
all the necessary comforts which I have 
needed. May I be suitably thankful for mer- 
cies received." 

No birthday dinners and celebrations for 
Lye. The passing years of life were serious 
to him. 

Yet Lye was not a sombre soul, given to 
overmuch piety. Jan. 2, 1823, finds him go- 
ing to Boston in Breed's carriage, with three 
friends, a big event in his career, for he 
usually walked to Boston, a journey of ten 
miles or so. In the afternoon Lye and his 
friends attended the theatre and saw the 



20 The Ways of a Worker 

comedy *'Who Wants a Guinea" acted. He 
makes no criticism of that show. That is 
unlucky. It would be interesting to know 
what he thought of the show. He was a keen 
critic, given to speaking his mind, for, on 
the day after the laying of the church corner 
stone he records in his diary that ''On search- 
ing under the corner stone a quarter of a 
dollar and one half cent was missing, pur- 
loined by some sacriligious robber." 
Lye liked dancing, for he records: 
*'Feb. 3. In the evening attended a public 
dance at the hotel, under the direction of 
Mr. Jam.eson, who is teacher in the school. 
Much pleased with the performance." 
A little later he records that he: 
"Attended the town meeting. High party 
spirit is again revived, and has destroyed 
the good feeling which has for a number of 
years prevailed in town." 

But that spell of bad feeling among towns- 
men passed, and July 4, 1821, finds Lye re- 
cording : 

"Independence Day was celebrated by the 
citizens without distinction of party. Oration 



of a Century Ago 21 

in the Methodist meeting house by Rev. E. 
Mudge. Procession by Artillery and Light 
Infantry. Dinner at hotel. Devoted this day 
to celebration." 

Lye was always ready to do his part in 
the public service. He mentions his service 
in the militia several times, and once re- 
marked that he ''trained near Rum Rock, in 
Danvers." 

Certainly Lye's pleasures in life were sim- 
ple. He had a lot of satisfaction in perform- 
ing his duties as a citizen and as a neighbor. 

JOSEPH LYE AS A NEIGHBOR. 

In a neighborly way Lye did many things, 
helping to fix fences, to mend boats, to kill 
pigs, to repair pumps, and to do any of the 
kind deeds that help a neighbor along the 
path of life. 

Two records from his diary show what a 
kindly neighbor he was: 

"May 4, 1820. Watched this night with 
our neighbor, David Farrington, who, it is 
feared, is approaching the last end." 

"Mar. 30, 1823. Watched last night with 
Thomas Cheever, who is bereft of his senses." 



22 The Ways of a Worker 

A good and kindly neighbor was Lye, to 
watch with the sick. 

THE MEANING OF LIFE TO JOSEPH LYE. 

The sum of Lye's view of life is found in 
this entry in his diary: 

"Friday, Sept. 2. Carried out a fishing 
party. Capt. Z. Atwell, S. Smith and six 
others. On our return off Bass Neck, Capt. 
Atwell at the helm, going before the wind, 
the boom jibed over and knocked Matthew 
Breed Jr. overboard. I jumped into the 
small boat and picked him up. He was con- 
siderable distance astern and quite exhausted, 
just ready to sink. Thus was I a feeble in- 
strument in God's hands." 

That was his view of life. "A feeble in- 
strument in God's hands." In that spirit he 
pursued his useful toil, enjoyed his humble 
joys, and wrote his simple annals of the poor. 
His ways were the ways of other days, and 
will be known no more. 

JOSEPH LYE'S EPITAPH. 

After the death of Joseph Lye, his family 



of a Century Ago 



placed a stone on his grave, bearing this in- 
scription : 

In Memory of 

MR. JOSEPH LYE, 

who died 

April 10, 1834, 

Aged 42 Years. 

Receive, earth, his faded form, 

In thy cold bosom let it lie ; 
Safe let it rest from every storm. 
Soon may it rise, no more to die. 
So that stone tells of the faith Lye had in 
eternal life, a faith which was his guide in 
each act of the days of his life. 

THE TAPLEYS. 

Amos Tapley, who purchased the Lye shop 
after the death of Joseph Lye, was of the 
Danvers family of Tapleys. He married a 
daughter of Joseph Lye, the shoemaker and 
soldier of the Revolution. His son, Amos 
Preston Tapley, engaged in the shoe trade 
and became the owner of the shop upon the 
death of his father. His son, Henry Fuller 
Tapley, became owner of the shop, and gave 



2Jf The Ways of a Worker 

it to the Essex Institute. Henry F. Fuller 
is surviving partner of the house of Amos P. 
Tapley & Co., whose record is this : 

MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF PROGRESS 
A CENTURY 

Ebenezer Vose, 1812-1816. 
Ebenezer Vose & Co., 1817-1828. 

(Josiah Pierce) 
Josiah Pierce, 1829-1834. 
Josiah Pierce & Co., 1835. 

(Daniel Bingham) 
Daniel Bingham & Co., 1836. 

(Amos P. Tapley) 
Amos P. Tapley, 1837-1838. 
Bingham & Tapley, 1839-1846. 
Amos P. Tapley, 1847. 
Amos P. Tapley & Co., 1848-1854. 

(W. S. Messenger) 
Amos P. Tapley, 1855-1868. 
Amos P. Tapley & Co., 1869-1905. 

(Henry F. Tapley) 
Amos P. Tapley & Co., 1905-1917. 

(Henry F. Tapley) 
Surviving partner. ;; 



of a Century Ago 25 

PROFIT AND LOSS. 

Lye didn't live long, didn't make money, 
didn't make a reputation, didn't build up a 
big business, didn't go into politics, didn't 
follow any sports as a fad, and didn't break 
into society. But it looks as if he enjoyed 
life while he lived. 

Lye was contented to work for a living, to 
live in simple fashion, and to enjoy humble 
pleasures. He had a knack of getting along. 
When the shoe trade was dull he turned his 
hand to something else. He kept down his 
cost of living, for he farmed, fished and 
raised a pig. If anything around the house 
or shop needed repairs, he did it himself. He 
was an independent person. Yet he wasn't 
selfish. He was always ready to give a help- 
ing hand to his neighbors. 

He read the Book of Life, and believed it, 
according to his views. He lived acccording 
to his conscience, and he was a contented man 
through the days of his life. 

Did he get more out of life than a fellow 
these days of complex ways. Who knows ? 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



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